Majority say standard of living improving

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PRINCETON, N.J., Feb. 7 (UPI) -- A majority of Americans say their standard of living is improving but slightly more than a quarter said their standard of living was worsening, Gallup said.

Fifty-seven percent of Americans said their standard of living was getting better, results released Thursday of Gallup Daily tracking for a three-day period ending Monday indicated.

Gallup said the percentage tied the highest three-day reading since it began asking the question in January 2008.

Twenty-seven percent say their standard of living was getting worse and 15 percent said it was the same, the Princeton, N.J., polling agency said.

Sixty-one percent of Democrats and independents who lean Democratic said their standard of living is improving, compared with 39 percent of Republicans and those leaning Republican saying the same, Gallup said.

Forty-one percent of Republicans and those leaning Republican said their standard of living was worsening, while 22 percent of Democrats and those leaning Democratic said the same.

Eight in 10 young adults in the 18-to-29 age group expressed optimism about their standard of living, Gallup said. The polling agency said standard-of-living optimism fell with age -- 56 percent of 30- to 49-year-olds said their standard of living was improving, a view expressed by 41 percent of 50- to 64-year-olds and 28 percent of people 65 years or older.

Results are based on nationwide telephone interviews with 1,536 adults conducted as part of Gallup Daily tracking Friday through Monday. The margin of error is 4 percentage points.